Community Engagement - Cheyenne River Valley Sioux Reservation
The SHU Delegation will be living in The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation is located in South Dakota and is roughly the size of Connecticut. The town of La Plant lies on the eastern half of the Reservation and is where Simply Smiles is focusing our current efforts. The rolling hills, wide open skies and sunsets are breathtaking. This landscape can offer insights into the richness and sacredness of the Lakota culture. But, often, the natural beauty stands in stark contrast to the systemic ills of poverty, unemployment, food insecurity and lack of appropriate shelter that plague the region.
During your time spent on the Reservation, you will have the privilege of being welcomed into this beautiful but impoverished setting on the Northern Great Plains - and you'll have the opportunity to help make life here better. All participants in the program are required to take the 1-credit HI 299 course (at no additional tuition cost) in the Spring Semester 2020. The 1-credit course requirement is waived if students opt to take one of the following 3-credit courses in the Spring Semester 2020. Student leaders may organize additional group meetings to discuss fundraising, etc.
You will work side by side with the people you have traveled so far to help. You will learn new things (like cement mixing) and push yourself to do things you may never have thought you could do (like build a new home). You don't need any special skills to have a meaningful and successful week. Simply Smiles staffers will be right there with you to teach you the skills you'll need. Be prepared to be surprised at how well you learn to put on a roof or use a power-tool! Volunteers just like you have built entire homes, basketball courts, community centers and more!Each evening there will be a discussion/reflection led by the faculty advisers.
Dates & Deadlines
| Term | Year | Application Deadline | Decision Date | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Payment Dates
- 1st payment $750: Due Friday, November 8, 2019 (Not refundable)
- 2nd payment $750: Due Friday, January 17, 2020
All checks should be made payable to “Sacred Heart University.” There will be no deadline extensions for these payments. All students are responsible for their own program fees. Fundraising is encouraged, both on an individual and group basis. However, each student is responsible for handing in their own individual payments on the dates above. Late payments will jeopardize a student’s participation in the program.
Accommodations
Housing in The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation will be in basic dorm rooms in the complex. Cost of all housing is included in the program fee.
Costs
Total cost per student is $1,500. This includes airfare, housing, transportation to/from SHU, all transportation in South Dakota and the majority of meals. The only meals that are not covered by SHU are those meals in the airport traveling to/from South Dakota.
Contact
Annie Johnson
Director of Community Engagement
203-365-4833
johnsona21@sacredheart.edu